Caught in the Eye
by SailorSlayer3641
Summary: There had been a raging storm swirling around them since Sarah's death. During this deceptive time of calm, Oliver has an epiphany, one that will give him the confidence to make it through the rest of the storm. AN first time writer and it's a team fic/olicity. Happy Reading! UPDATE: rating has changed due to increased violence and possible adult themes. major character death
1. Chapter 1

Caught in the Eye

In a nondescript abandoned warehouse, per the norm for secret lairs, team arrow waited.

They were antsy in the knowledge that they had only gone through half of the storm that was their lives this year. Their home for the past three years had finally been compromised for the last time and Oliver's secondary lair was out of the question considering that Waller knew its location. Their individual residences were out of the question. So, here they were, holed up with a few cots, the barest of Felicity's computer systems, and their merry band of misfits/family.

On the outside it would appear that there was a false sense of calm, but between the nervous glances and over all sense of impending doom, it was obvious that this was just the eye of the storm, quickly passing them over and laying way for the shit storm that started with Sarah's death in the fall.

But really hadn't all of this started for each and every one of them so long ago. For all of Oliver's talk of guilt and being the root cause of everything terrible, the stones in each of their paths were laid long before "team arrow's" existence.

Diggle didn't know that falling in love with a future Argus agent would lead him here, not to mention the cloud of suspicion around his brother's death.

Roy couldn't have known that the mistakes of his parents and pain of growing up in the Glades would lead him to meet the love of his life, the love that started him on this journey of becoming more than what or where he was from.

Laurel's steadfast hold onto justice had been prevalent from the beginning of her journey, and was surely the only reason she had survived the twists and turns, lies and deception, grief and remorse that consisted of the past 7 and a half years. Wearing a mask was always going to be the end result.

Felicity, with all of her light and brightness, had chosen this path the day she found out that Cooper had killed himself. She chose then to do something more with her life. Without that conviction, she never would have looked over all of those lies in the beginning if it wasn't for her gut instinct telling her that she was doing something right. That conviction and those gut instincts were confirmed when he landed in the back of her car that fateful day.

And Oliver, well, it really was as simple as getting on a boat.

The opposition, consisting of a horrific combination of Waller and her omega virus combined with Ra's and his purging ways, was mounting. The five members of team arrow were done. Done waiting, preparing, and anticipating for the next onslaught from their enemy. This wouldn't be a repeat of the undertaking. There would be no army of super soldiers descending on their beloved city, ready to lay way to siege. No…this time they were bringing the siege. The only waiting they would be doing, is for their flight to Nanda Parbat.

So they waited and tried to rest, mentally and physically, despite it being the middle of the day. They were in hiding and wouldn't be leaving until they could use the cloak of night to their advantage.

Diggle, sans Lyla who was being held by Waller, was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, absently flipping through pictures of his family, well accustomed to that feeling of being on the edge of a precipice that came just before a battle. Baby Sarah was with the only two people left that team arrow trusted, Quentin and Thea. The two of them were staying back in one of Malcolm's abandoned properties. He had sacrificed himself to save Thea, and in doing so, had inspired Thea to be more than her parent's mistakes. She tasked herself with protecting Baby Sarah, her soul's attempt at righting the mar on itself caused by taking Sarah's life. The two of them, Quentin and Thea, would be the last line of defense if the team failed in Nanda Parbat. Quentin would call for an evacuation within a certain timeframe without hearing from the others.

Roy, atypical of his personality, was calmly reading on his cot. He'd taken to reading, finding solace in the words of dreamers, believers, and leaders of days past. It was a balm to his psyche, losing himself in the world and words of others, real and made up, who had gone through their own crucibles and stepped out on the other side. It gave him hope, and if nothing else, a damn good distraction.

Laurel was about 10 feet from one of the walls of the warehouse, absentmindedly flicking knives into a crudely handmade target. She adapted to knives during her short stint training with Nyssa. The repetition was almost hypnotizing, and therefore she wasn't thinking about all the cocktails she'd like to be swigging down at the moment. As much as she wanted a drink though, she wanted to end the injustice that was being brought down on them more. She steeled herself for what was coming.

Felicity, typical of her personality, was sat behind her less than stellar computer network, doing her best to keep tabs on any of their known enemies who may have decided to up their timeframe and ascend on them sooner than planned. Her thoughts whirled around in her head, the "what ifs" of their plans and unknown variables colliding into a ball of jumbled thoughts that would snowball and eventually lead to her self-inflicted mental countdown of 3, 2, 1. The process would start over again.

Out of everyone, the most surprising was Oliver. Tucked under a sheet on a cot squared away behind Felicity's computer desk, he slept. Surely only a psycho could sleep under these conditions. Surprisingly peaceful, he dreamed, as usual, of a life he couldn't have. He dreamed of a life where he had made a million different decisions, many of which included Felicity, but all resulted in his own personal happily ever after. Those personal happily ever after's were slowly starting to resemble his actual life. After going through the fire, so to speak, with Ra's on more than one occasion, after dealing with Sarah's death, the person that was most like him, after dealing with Felicity staying steadfast to her integrity, after witnessing Diggle have his happily ever after, after seeing Maseo fall to Sarab the Phantom, his dreams were starting to change. Despite these changes in his dreams, including the one he was having right now, they still left him hoping and wishing for them to be real. The dream Oliver was having right now was seemingly insignificant. He was with his patchwork family, sitting in the foundry. Baby Sarah was toddling around in her play pen, Roy and Thea were goofing off on the training matts while Laurel gave them her opinions on their technique. Diggle and Oliver were sitting across from one another, absentmindedly tossing a tennis ball back and forth while discussing the merits of guns versus bows and arrows. Sitting next to Diggle was Lyla, bouncing back and forth between the weapons conversation and the tech conversation she was having with Felicity, who was sitting next to Oliver, possibly closer than what was absolutely necessary. In his dream, Oliver registered this, and took it all in.

A loud gasp startled and stopped what everyone was doing. Oliver had woken up with a start, his dream still heavy in his mind, laying way for the epiphany he just had. His team members, no family members, looked at him curiously. Felicity looked at him with worry and started to open her mouth to ask if he was ok. He cut her off with a small smile. She was taken aback. He rarely smiled that smile. Something was different. She didn't know what it was but it didn't frighten her. That small smile on his face, while barely perceptible to others, was setting her soul on fire. He looked like her Oliver for the first time in months, if not nearly a year. Now her questioning look of concern morphed into curiosity. The others were still looking on with mild concern as she quietly asked, "Oliver, what is it?"

He looked around the room at everyone slowly, making sure to initiate eye contact. He wanted to know they were listening, truly hearing what he was about to say. His eyes landed back on Felicity, his small smile still in place. For the first time in 8 years, he was confident in something and he couldn't wait to share it with his family, with the people that he just now realized comprised his happily ever after, the happily ever after he already has.

"We're going to win."


	2. Turbulence

Turbulence

The merry band of misfits made their way to a private air field, staying alert for any signs of trouble. As they pulled up to the hangar in the hi-jacked utility van that they promised to return if they survived, team arrow saw the small commuter jet that was on loan from Palmer Industries. The owner himself couldn't join in their flight of uncertainty due to his remaining injuries he had obtained after his and Felicity's trip to Central City.

The pilot that Palmer had paid an obscene amount to keep quiet, led them to the stairs of the plane that were folded out for them. He took their luggage as they ascended the steps and stowed it away. It was rather odd, having paid help assist them with something as mundane as luggage when they were marching off to battle.

Palmer. Oliver could barely think about him without slightly cringing. For a long while he felt like Palmer was just stealing bits of his life away from him, starting with over hauling QC and ending with Felicity's partnership in his vigilante endeavors. The last one was the hardest pill of all to swallow, worse than the two of them being romantically involved. Felicity had given her trust and counsel to someone else, and it felt like she had really given up on believing in him. His only solace was that she was still here fighting beside him, even if he would do anything to have her as far away from this as possible. He had finally learned though that it was indeed her life, her choice, and his choices over the past several months had driven her straight into Palmer's life. Palmer needn't lift a finger. There was no stealing involved. He had left the door to his life wide open, and by not allowing Felicity to make her own choices and by not listening to her opinions, Felicity walked out of said door repeatedly and into Palmer's waiting arms. Palmer wasn't the enemy, he was just the man smart enough not to let something remarkable slip through his fingers.

Pulling his head out of his less than happy thoughts, Oliver shifted to the dream he had had in the warehouse. He had a family that had stayed by his side, despite Oliver's idiotic decisions to let the ends justify the means on more than one occasion. Not to say that they had been besties this whole time. Felicity's talking down she had given him that night in the alley and her harsh demand a week later that they could never go back, was just a few instances of his team attempting to pull his head out of his colon. He was angry at the time and was sure that they no longer believed in him. Fortunately he had finally realized that by confronting him and not backing down, they were sticking by his side and trying to save him from himself. They could have just walked away, made a team of their own and left him in the dust to fight his demons alone. He was slowly starting to accept their words, critical and encouraging. Sarah had said at the beginning of the year that they needed people in their lives that didn't wear masks. Barry told him that Oliver Queen could be the inspiration his city needs, not the Arrow, that guy was a douche. Laurel had called him out on hiding his feelings behind the hood. Roy had confronted him in front of the team to protect Thea's integrity. Diggle was a never ending spout of "Yoda like" knowledge. Felicity hit the nail on the head nearly a year ago outside of QC right after he lost it to Palmer. He told her about his vertigo experience and she in turn told him that being afraid of himself, Oliver Queen, was in short, ridiculous. The irony was not lost on him that distancing himself from Oliver Queen, had led to him becoming his own worst enemy.

The lesson was learned though, and just in the nick of time. He needed his family, and after a year of doubt and grief, he was finally starting to believe in himself again.

Looking around the cabin of the plane, it was easy to see that despite Oliver's confident statement previously in the day, there was still a cloud of uncertainty. Diggle, while always an even keel in a storm, was showing signs of anger and doubt bubbling just under his well-placed mask as he leaned his head against the window of the jet. The mother of his daughter and recent wife was being held by a power hungry woman bent on revenge. While Diggle knew his team would move the ends of the earth to save Lyla, as a former soldier he knew that sometimes that wasn't enough.

Roy and Laurel were attempting to play a hand of gin rummy, but their half-assed hands made it obvious that their thoughts were elsewhere. Roy's was steadily moving further away from him as they flew out of Starling City where Thea was left behind. He knew that logistically speaking, she was safer there, but he couldn't help but worry about the state of her mind. She had been through hell this past year, and he wished he could've stayed behind to comfort her in any way she would allow him. He knew he needed to continue on with the good fight though, in order to preserve what precarious future that he and Thea had slowly started to rebuild over the past couple of months.

Laurel's thoughts were with her father and the strenuous relationship that had taken hold since she had revealed the truth about Sarah. She had to make it through this in order to make things right with him. With Sarah gone, he was the only person left that truly understood her, her ardent search for justice, laced with a bit a self-righteousness and stubbornness. She needed to see this through for her father, for Sarah, and for herself.

Felicity found herself babbling off to the pilot, inundating him with one inquiry after another. Did the plane have enough fuel? Did he know how to navigate through the mountain range that would lead them to a rural landing strip just outside of Nanda Parbat? Was he indeed, a licensed and certified pilot? It was easy to focus on her slightly unfounded fear of flying and heights than to focus on the mission that lay in front of them. Fortunately for the pilot, Oliver chose that moment to save him from the tiny force known as Hurricane Felicity.

"Hey, let's go sit down and give the pilot a break, huh?"

Felicity looked up at him with a nervous smile and stood up, wiping her slightly sweaty palms on the front of her jeans. As she followed Oliver out of the cockpit she tossed back, "I'll check on you later Bob." The pilot gave her a wary look.

Oliver led them over to two window seats facing each other with a small table between them. As he sat down, Oliver raked his hands over his face while exhaling a breath he'd been holding too long. He looked at Felicity's fingers and noticed them twitching in a manner quite similar to his own nervous tick. When had that started?

"Nervous?" he asked as he adjusted in his seat and waited for her to grab her tablet.

As she turned from her carry on, he could see that she looked hesitant and she huffed out quietly, "Yea, a little."

Thinking back on their failed first date he immediately responded with "The line forms behind me." As she sat down with her tablet she nearly dropped it on the table, but she quickly recovered and gently placed it between them. Yea, she definitely caught the reference. She slightly chuckled and shyly responded.

"Well, I don't have any benzos this time, sorry." She looked up at him and damnit if he wasn't sporting that small smile again.

"What? What's that smile about?" she implored with a tilt of her head. His small smile morphed into a big grin as he replied, "I'm just glad you're here."

Felicity's mind stuttered to a stop. Wait, what did she just hear?

"Wait, what did I just hear?" Felicity stared incredulously at Oliver waiting for his response. He sobered up and considered what he was about to say. How could he say that he had royally screwed the pooch and was trying to fix things between them?

"I, uh, I think it's high time I start letting you make your own choices, or at least start hearing you out. I'm just now starting to realize that I need everyone, that I need you, in order to continue leading the life that we lead. Even though I know it's too late for there to be anything more between us and that you're happy with Palmer, I'm happy to have you by my side as a partner in all of this. You're still my uh… 'girl, girl,' and while I'm never going to be comfortable with putting you in danger, I know that having your support, and having you here is far better for our chances, and it's far better for me and my journey back to uh, your Oliver, the Oliver you saw inside of me before all of this."

For the first time during their relationship, Felicity was speechless. Oliver waited patiently for her reaction, subconsciously rolling his thumb and forefinger together. He hoped he hadn't crossed a line by saying too much, by alluding to the feelings he still had for her.

Felicity's mind raced, and she knew this was an important moment. How was she supposed to respond to that? How was she supposed to say that Palmer and she were over, on mostly amicable terms? How was she supposed to tell him that there was still a possibility for more between them?

"Well, uh, that's good to hear. You may not feel that way after I trip over my own feet while we're storming the castle." She said with a small chuckle. "And there's not an 'us' anymore."

Oliver's heart dropped. She had given up on even having a friendship with him.

"I mean, um, what I meant was, Palmer and I are not an 'us' anymore. When the dust settles, he's leaving for Central City, and I decided that it would be best if I stayed back. He's definitely still dealing with Anna's death, and I'm…uh,"

Oliver perked up. "You're what?"

"I'm unsure of a lot of feelings, many feelings,… so many feelings."

And just like that, Oliver's hope of having something more between them reignited.

Felicity abruptly stood up and called out to their small group.

"It is far too quiet and gloomy in here people!"

Felicity shuffled over to the sound system. She had to do something to put a stop to the very dangerous conversation that she and Oliver started to have. She fell back on one of her favorite episodes of How I Met Your Mother. She pulled out her IPod and synced it to the sound system. Shuffling through her playlists she landed on the one titled "Barney's Get Psyched Mix." This would do the trick.

A moment later the strong thrum of Bon Jovi's "Shot through the heart," filtered into the cabin. The group instantly started to chuckle, and an easy air settled over them. For the remainder of their flight, Felicity continued to feed them with upbeat songs, and for a while, they were just a group of friends having a good time. For a while they were okay.


	3. Storming the Castle

Storming the Castle

A swell of anticipation washed over the cabin of the plane as it made its descent to the rocky terrain of the remote village outside of Nanda Parbat. The landing was bumpy at best, but the plane and its passengers were no worse for wear.

As the door of the plane opened, the tiniest bit of light was in the atmosphere, alluding to the coming sunrise. While logically speaking, attacking Nanda Parbat may have been more covert during the night, but the team was hoping to use that to their advantage and find the exterior soldiers with their guard down.

The group huddled near the cargo latches of the plane, silently waiting for something. What it is, they don't know. Oliver clears his throat and takes a breath.

"Okay guys. This is it. We know it's going to be hard, but once we're inside, our plan will fall into place. I trust in each of you, and I trust in what we can accomplish together."

"And if the plan fails….?" Laurel asked skeptically.

"It was your idea Laurel!" Diggle exclaimed incredulously.

"I didn't think you'd actually listen, and frankly I'm worried that it'll even work. It's a crazy ridiculous plan." Laurel was certain that they'd turn down her idea. She was the newest addition to this team and the one with the least experience. Her self-doubt was starting to worm its way into her mind.

Then she heard laughing. Diggle and Felicity were holding their hands to their stomachs, cackling for god knows why. With a slight smile that turned into a pointed look at the two clowns, Oliver got the pair to quiet down.

With his eyes lingering on Felicity he said, "Sometimes the crazy plans work out for the best." Shifting his gaze to Laurel he spoke resolutely. "It will work. Have a little faith. Isn't that what you all have been drilling into me for the last three years?"

"It's about damn time…" grumbled Diggle and a chorus of giggles erupted once again.

"Alright, Alright. Let's get our things and gear up. We've got a bit of hike ahead of us."

The group sobered up and went to pick up their things from the pilot that was steadily unloading questionable items from the cargo area with a skeptical look on his face. There were quite a few cases that obviously housed guns, and when Diggle opened the clasp to one large case and pulled out a bazooka, he realized his skepticism was well founded. He didn't say anything knowing that keeping quiet meant that he would be getting that hefty paycheck back home. With the team "locked and loaded" so to speak, Oliver lead them through the quiet streets to the edge of the village with a firm, "Let's do this."

The trek through the uninhabited land between the village and Nanda Parbat was fairly easy to make. The air was still chilly from the cold temperatures that had crept over the desert the night before. With a small shiver Felicity wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

"I really should have worn something warmer, but at least this arid climate is doing wonders for my hair." Felicity said with flip of her pony tail over her shoulder.

"Here blondie, take my underamour, and maybe you should take up residency here when all of this is over, you know, for the sake of hair," Roy said as he pulled the long sleeve spandex material out of his bag.

"Aww, I always knew you were my favorite for some reason, Harper. And who knows, if all things go as planned maybe we'll be making some visits here," Felicity finished with a shrug.

The chit chat died down from there, and forty-five minutes later they found themselves stopping and taking a break. After another fifteen minutes they would make it to the entrance of Ra's' compound, so they rested up and regrouped. A few canteens of water were passed around the group as they sat down, leaning against a few large rocks, or rather boulders.

"How are you guys just sitting there?" Felicity said as she stretched and massaged her aching legs.

"That's what you get for skipping leg day in exchange for play dates with baby Sarah," Dig chuckled out.

"What can I say? She's a lot better company than you. I can't wait to pinch her chubby cheeks when we get back."

Felicity took note of Diggle's change in demeanor, the slightly less than stoic expression he usually wore. Worry flashed in his eyes and Felicity shifted towards him and gripped his hand as tight as she could.

"We will get back Dig," she said firmly. "And after you and Lyla smother baby Sarah with kisses, then I'll smother her in kisses, then maybe we can talk about whipping these legs of mine into shape."

With a barely perceptible nod Diggle squeezed Felicity's hand back. "That sounds like a plan."

"Speaking of plans…let's get a move on guys. I'm ready to get this over with," Roy impatiently demanded.

With no objections the group righted themselves and headed in the direction of their destination. Faster than what seemed possible, the fifteen minutes were up, and they found themselves facing the massive compound nestled in the rocky cliff edges. Roy, Laurel, and Felicity's mouth hung open in awe. Before any of them had a chance to comment, Oliver cut them off with orders.

"Alright guys, Roy and I will be in front followed by Laurel. Felicity, you'll be right behind her with Diggle taking up the rear. And you better put on your vest."

Reluctantly Felicity put on the vest without comment. They had already explained that while gun fire wasn't likely, it would at least prevent any arrows from hitting her vital organs, well except for her head, but she drew the line at wearing metal body armor on her head like some medieval knight.

"And why aren't you guys wearing these things too?"

"They constrict our movement too much in close combat," Oliver stated matter-of-factly. "Let's move."

And with that the small team moved themselves from behind the large sand dune they had been kneeling behind. Within an instant Roy and Oliver took out two guards outfitted at the edge of the dunes that hugged the wide path to the compound.

As two more darkly clothed assassins jumped out of seemingly nowhere, Felicity let a quiet squeak. Oliver heard her, but had to remind himself to focus. Their fates depended on it. Between Roy, Laurel, and Oliver, they quickly dispatched the two, but not before they yelled out a warning to their comrades. Diggle maintained a line of sight on the higher ground on either side of the path. Within a few seconds upwards of ten soldiers descended and weaved their way out of the dunes. It appeared that Diggle found this to be the perfect time to shoot off his bazooka at one of the more clustered groups, taking out four of them in one loud blow. Knowing that with the loud bang of the bazooka came more opposition, the three in the front swiftly engaged in hand to hand combat with the remaining six.

Arrows and knives were flying in every which way along with fists and feet. Felicity had rarely been this close to combat, and it was startling to say the least. She was fearful, but watched the way her teammates worked in sync, making it appear like a well-choreographed dance. That awe quickly vanished as a stray arrow, meant as a hail marry from the last assassin as he tumbled down, streaked through the air straight towards her. Within the blink of an eye Felicity stumbled back from the force of the arrow hitting her sternum. Diggle caught her before she could make impact with the ground, and he gently guided her down to a sitting position.

Oliver rushed over, grabbing her shoulders in a panic. "Felicity! Felicity! Look at me! Are you okay?"

Felicity's shoulder's hunched and her body shook. Seconds later you could hear her laughing as she lifted her head with tears in her eyes and a look of bewilderment.

"I am so glad I put on that vest." Felicity took Oliver's hand and let him help her up. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands and then rubbed her palms on her pants. "Is someone going to pull this thing out? We need to get a move on," Felicity said resolutely.

Oliver tried to regulate his breathing as he wrapped his hands around the arrow shaft and pulled while Diggle held on to Felicity's shoulders. The arrow dropped to the ground and Oliver immediately pulled her into a tight embrace, the air whooshing out of Felicity's lungs.

"I imagined this happening under different circumstances…" Felicity wheezed out. This time she didn't bother to add the "platonic circumstances." They were way past that. Oliver gulped and let his arms release her waist and shoulders, but he let his hand trail down to hers and took hold of it, pulling her in the direction of the compound.

"Time to get this over with." And hand in hand Oliver and Felicity made their way to the entrance of the compound with Roy and Laurel on one side and Diggle flanking their right.

Once inside the walls of the sacred home of the demon, the fighting resumed.


	4. Friends in Low Places

Friends in Low Places

Entering the maze of corridors in the compound, Felicity was momentarily awed by the deceptive beauty of the soft glow of lights flickering off of chandeliers and wall sconces. Before she could think any further about how she should consider adding some low lighting to her townhouse, Oliver roughly twisted her behind him and began taking out the assassins popping up out of nowhere alongside the rest of team arrow. Faster than Felicity thought possible, they weaved their way in and out of the dimly lit labyrinth knowing that without her trusty tablet, she'd never be able to find her way out.

Suddenly, the group came to a halt, causing Felicity to bump into the back of Oliver. She quickly righted her balance and took a step back, taking in her new surroundings. She saw her four companions, tense and feet planted firmly in anticipation of a fight. As she looked beyond them she realized that they had made their way into a great room with walls that seemed to go on forever and touch the sky. Back and towards the center of the room the floor was elevated, and something emitting steam was blocked from view by a decorative and very intricate screen.

Overlooking the small group, Ra's Al Ghul towered over them, commanding the attention of everyone, including the some thirty to forty assassins that now formed a circle around them.

Seeing Ra's for the first time, Felicity finally understood what all the talk was about. He was cloaked in long heavy robes, giving the allusion of height and grandeur. Jewelry and pendants hung from his neck and rested on his fingers and could only be described as other worldly. The look served its purpose of intimidating the foes of the Demon, well at least Felicity.

"Oliver Queen, the man who lived, come to die. Again. But I see you've brought your friends to join you in the after- life." Ra's voice boomed throughout the room, bouncing off the walls creating an echo.

"No. I've come to live. I've come save MY city. And I've come to put an end to your reign of hypocritical justice." Oliver responded in a voice that rivaled Ra's' commanding tone.

"There are only five of you. You and what army do you intend to accomplish this pipe dream." Ra's stated incredulously.

"With this army!"

In a flourish of movements half of the trained assassins that had formed a circle around them altered their stances and took aim at their supposed comrades. Ra's already knew whose voice he had heard, but he looked for its source all the same. Nyssa al Ghul, former heir to the Demon stepped out of the shadows and made her way to stand in front of team arrow. Team arrow collectively let out a sigh of relief, knowing that their plan had come through.

"You choose to align yourself with these insolent civilians who were too weak to actually accomplish any good in their beloved city, the same people that defended your love's killer?" Ra's asked, anger just under the surface of his otherwise calm countenance.

"Yes. It's what Taer Al-Sahfer, no Sarah, would have wanted. Oliver Queen protected her killer out of familial obligation. YOU let him live as a negotiation tactic to make someone other than your own flesh and blood take your place as the Head of the Demon. And when he refused your 'offer' you decided to wage war on his city, an act I cannot condone, and one that I'm sure my Sarah wouldn't have stood for."

"Well then, daughter, shall we begin?" Ra's questioned.

Chaos erupted simultaneously all around the group of five. They watched on as Nyssa engaged her own father in battle while a sea of black fought around them. The small group turned in on each other and huddled up.

"It's time. Roy, keep anyone other than myself from interfering with the fight between Ra's and Nyssa. Laurel, you watch Diggle's back as he and Felicity go track down Waller and Lyla. Stay together!" Oliver ordered calmly and directly.

The group looked on at one another, committing each other's faces to memory. With a firm nod, Roy was the first to step back and move towards the fighting. Laurel looked around and then settled her gaze on Oliver.

"Don't die ok? You may have royally pissed me off a lot lately, but I don't want to lose anybody else." Laurel said seriously, but with a bit of sass underneath. Oliver smiled and said, "I'll do my best."

Looking up from her tablet, Felicity spoke to Diggle and Laurel. "Alright guys. It looks like the tracer that Lyla has on her is emitting a signal from the north east section of the compound. We need to head that way." Felicity said gesturing to the right with her hand and turning her body to head that direction. Oliver gripped her wrist, almost painfully, and turned her back around to face her. Felicity looked at him closely, their faces only inches apart. He stared at her, like he was communicating everything he couldn't voice aloud. It reminded her of when he was prepared to offer himself up to Slade. He never said anything that time, and neither did she.

A wave of emotions hit Felicity and memories, one after another hit her. She remembered their first and only date when he told her that she was the first person that he could see as just a person. Images of him holding her face inches from each other telling her not to ask him to say he doesn't love her, danced in front of her eyes. She heard him all over again when he reassured her that he was glad about all the things that she had been through, because they had made her who she was today, and she knows how he feels about her. And then her mind narrowed in on one point, blocking out all the sounds of battle around her. She remembered two things. A delicate and chaste kiss to her forehead and the words "I love you," tumbling out of his mouth so effortlessly that it took her breathe away. As his eyes continued to bore into hers, as if they were begging for something, Felicity was sure of one thing.

"I'm sure of one thing." She said, watching as Oliver's eyes light up in disbelief.

"I love you, Oliver Queen, the hood, the vigilante, the Arrow, the Hero, the man. I've always loved you, and I always will."

Her eyes took in his bewildered face and she cracked a small smile. She removed her hand from his grasp and pressed a kiss to his cheek, and she turned and ran off with Dig and Laurel, who despite the circumstances were grinning like idiots.

Holding his hand to his chest, as if to hold in the swell of emotion overtaking him, Oliver watched her blond ponytail disappear from the grand room and down a narrow pathway. With one last look in the direction she disappeared to, he turned and charged into battle.


	5. The Rising Tide

The Rising Tide

As Oliver turned from Felicity's retreating form, he nearly collided with Maseo, or as he demanded to be called, Sarab. Looking at him now, it's hard to remember the doting husband and father that he once was. He owed Maseo for the time he spent training him and guiding him through the murky waters of Waller's life of servitude. But, Maseo was gone. There were no traces of his subtle sarcasm or the exasperations he would huff out when Oliver would be particularly head strong and insubordinate. This man, or better weapon that Ra's wielded as he saw fit, was a stark reminder of what Oliver could have become if he had succumbed to "Al Saheem", the Arrow.

"Give up now Oliver. I do not wish to kill you." Maseo said, his voice heavy with resignation and the barest amount of regret.

Oliver huffed out a small laugh. "Then don't Maseo." He said as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Over the past few months, Oliver had come to the realization that there was always a choice. It was something that Diggle and Felicity had been trying to drill into him for years.

"You have a choice Maseo. Join Nyssa's forces. Return to your wife."

"You continue to use that name as if its owner still exists. Maseo died many years ago with his son. Out of nothing, Ra's gave me purpose. If I abandoned this commitment, if Ra's is no longer my master and the head of the Demon, then I am nothing once again. You see, there is no choice Oliver. There is no other path to take, only the one laid out for Sarab."

With that Maseo lifted his sword above him and brought it down towards Oliver.

The instant Maseo's words had left his mouth, Oliver readied himself for the coming attack. As the sword came down, Oliver was just barely able to block it with a nearby bo staff. In an instant Maseo continued his assault while Oliver countered every blow, the clash of the weapons almost rhythmic. Oliver knew he needed to get enough breathing room to reach his bow, but the swing of Maseo's sword was in constant secession. Looking for an opportunity to interrupt the pattern they had set, Oliver dropped, spiraling down, the bo staff stretched out to hopefully make contact with Maseo's knees. He heard the 'whoosh' of Maseo's sword above his head, immediately followed by the crack of the bo staff against Maseo's knees.

As Maseo lost his footing, Oliver regained his and within an instant nocked back an arrow, releasing it without thought. Tight chords wrapped themselves around Maseo, effectively restraining him.

In a voice Oliver did not recognize, Maseo cried out in frustration.

"No! You were supposed to kill me!" Maseo spit out, his face contorted in anguish. Oliver watched him, and while he pitied the man lying in front of him, a part of him remembered the anguish of having nothing left to live for.

Softly, Maseo pleaded. "Please. Please release me. Let me be with Akio once more. I beg you, Oliver."

Oliver watched the pain and desperation dance across his face. As tears started to streak down Maseo's face, Oliver choked out, "I'm sorry Maseo. Please forgive me," as Oliver brought the curve of his bow down across Maseo's temple, effectively knocking him out.

Oliver took a breath and surveyed the carnage around him. There were a handful of fights still taking place, but Oliver paid them no attention. Searching he found Nyssa engaging with her father, who at the moment had the upper hand. To Oliver's dismay, Roy joined Nyssa, hoping to prevent the Demon from killing his daughter. For only a second Oliver could see Ra's falter, but he very quickly altered his attacks, taking on the two simultaneously and effortlessly. Oliver took off his quiver and took ahold of Maseo's sword that had been dropped at the side of his former friend.

Gripping the sword tightly, Oliver thought of how much he just wanted to end the insanity of all this. Felicity's words bubbled up to his consciousness and for the barest moment, he dreamed of all the new choices awaiting him when this was over. He hoped and prayed that Lyla's rescue was underway without any hiccups. With a renewed sense of vigor, Oliver approached the three way battle, hoping to tip the scales.

Diggle, Felicity, and Laurel navigated their way through the compound following the directions that Felicity called out to them. At the end of each corridor the group would stop, press themselves against the edges and wait for Diggle to peak around and give them the ok. Adrenaline pumped through their systems, knowing they were getting that much closer to rescuing their loved one. Felicity couldn't imagine what Diggle was going through, the anticipation that must be weighing on him. But as Felicity thought of that, she realized that she could relate a little bit. She thought of nights sitting in the foundry listening to the sounds of arrows flying and gunshots. Every night she had to anticipate the unknown outcome of each mission that she guided her boys and Laurel on, but she had never been embroiled in a mission like this, and she certainly never had the added worry of making it home safe for the sake of a child that shouldn't have to grow up without a parent. She was astounded by the strength Diggle and Lyla must have for continuing the good fight, despite what it could do to their family.

As they reached another corner at the end of a long hallway, Felicity lifted her index finger to her lips, indicating that they should be silent. She held her tablet out in front of her, allowing Diggle and Laurel to see that they were about to turn down the last corridor that would lead to the room that Lyla, and more than likely Waller, were holed up in. They knew this was the end of the line, and that guards were more than likely stationed in the hallway outside. Silently, Diggle reached out for the tablet. Begrudgingly, Felicity relocated it to him. Felicity was suddenly worried about the fate of her beloved tablet.

Knowing that the guards were probably already anticipating their attack, Diggle had to find a way of assessing how many they were about to face. With his back firmly against the wall at the very edge of the corner, Diggle held the tablet out in front of him, angling it so that he might catch an image in the reflection of the tablet's glass. He could scarcely make out five figures before an arrow pierced through the air, striking the tablet, effectively embedding itself in the cracked glass and plastic.

Felicity let out a muffled whimper. She watched as Diggle and Laurel seem to have an entire conversation without words. Felicity saw Laurel shuffle something in her hands, passing something small to Diggle, who in turn handed her two ear plugs. Realization hit Felicity, and she knew how they were about to proceed.

Quickly she shoved the ear plugs in and looked on as Diggle readied his dart gun. Within seconds Laurel threw out three sonic devices, then rounded the corner with Diggle. Felicity watched as five guards crumpled to the ground holding their heads in pain. One after another they all slumped over unconscious as Diggle shot them with tranquilizers. Dropping his dart gun, he immediately pulled his automatic rifle from his back. Laurel wrapped her hands around her nun chucks, and the two of them charged through the door.

Unfortunately, Waller was smart enough to have a few henchmen of her own in the room that was keeping Lyla prisoner and holding the omega virus.

"Kill them!" Waller called out as she was scrambling to pack up the omega virus, surely planning on trying to escape with it.

Felicity stayed back just on the outside of the door so she could watch on as Diggle and Laurel fought off the three hired guns. She finally caught sight of Lyla handcuffed and hopefully only unconscious in the corner of the room. She looked worse for wear, bruises on her face and arms, and a small trickle of dried blood ran along the edge of her lip and chin.

Things happened fast. Two men lay incapacitated on the floor. In the midst of Waller's frantic packing she had realized they were losing and had immediately switched tactics.

Diggle looked up as the last man fell, just in time to see Waller jerk Lyla's head up and press the end of her gun to Lyla's temple. Everyone stilled.

"Think about what you're doing Waller. Even if you kill her, you'd be dead before you could blink, much less make it out of here." Diggle tried to reason calmly while steadily holding his rifle in front of him, aimed at Waller's head.

Felicity listened as the woman who had always showed such control, quickly dissolved into wild rage.

"I can't believe the two of you, and your self-righteousness! You ruined everything! I was going to do big things with ARGUS. All these assassins and vigilantes running around, and you have the nerve to report me to the U.S. government. I was in control. I was going to take everyone out of the game and finally bring some order to this chaos that started with that idiot Queen. Lyla was a good soldier before you and that hooded freak had to come into her life. You're gonna find out what it's like to have her out of your life again." Waller all but shrieked as she turned the safety off of her gun.

Felicity jerked her head away, already knowing that Diggle was about to put a bullet through Waller's head. As the shot rang out, Felicity grimaced, but forced herself to look up and make sure that Diggle had taken her down.

Slumped over Lyla's unconscious form, Waller laid lifeless. Finally entering the room, Felicity walked up to Laurel taking her hand. Laurel squeezed as they watched Diggle rush over to the two bodies, shoving Waller off and lifting Lyla up. His movements stilled as his fingers rested against her neck, checking for a pulse.

"Dig, Dig…Is she…" Felicity asked softly, not being able to say the words dead or alive.

Diggle took in a sharp breath and his body tensed, still as a statue.

A second later a choked sob escaped his lips as his head nodded vigorously. "She's alive. She's alive." He all but sobbed out as he pulled her forward, wrapping his arms around her and softly calling her name in her ear. He lifted her chin and started to pepper kisses across her face while gently pleading for her to wake up.

"C'mon baby, it's time to wake up. You did good. You stayed alive. Now it's time to go see our beautiful girl. She misses her mother."

"Johnny, Johnny?" Lyla breathed out as she finally came to consciousness. "Is it over?" She asked, starting to flex her fingers and return her husband's embrace.

"Yea, Sweetie. It's over." Diggle said with a small smile.

"You only call me sweetie when you want something." Lyla said incredulously, finally lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"I do. I know you're in a world of pain right now, but we need to get out of here. We can't know if there are any reinforcements coming from Ra's or Waller. I'm gonna need you to try and get up." Diggle stated, hating that she was in so much pain.

"Okay. Whatever it takes, right?" Lyla replied as she slowly tried to stand, Diggle holding her along the way.

"That's it. Good job baby. Now, Felicity, can you come and put one shoulder under her left side while I hold up her right? With Laurel leading the way, I can at least have use of my trigger finger should we run into any more trouble." Diggle asked.

"Sure, just as soon as she puts on this vest. She's injured, and nowhere capable of defending herself." Felicity said resolutely.

"Oliver will kill me, Felicity." Diggle responded, knowing that there was no use in arguing.

"It's my life. My choice. She's your wife, and baby Sarah's mother. She deserves every chance she's got to make it out of this alive so that your little nugget doesn't have to know the pain of growing up without a parent. Right now, her life is more important than mine."

Felicity was already pulling the vest off as Diggle mumbled a reluctant okay. As Diggle held Lyla up, Felicity fastened the vest to her, then proceeded to support Lyla's left side as Diggle requested.

"Let's head get out of here, huh?" Felicity prodded as she jerked her head in the direction of the exit.

"I'm sure Oliver's anxious to see you again after the bombshell you dropped on him. You didn't even give him a chance to say it back." Laurel said as she gathered up the omega virus, secured it in a pack, and slung it over her back.

"He deserved it." Felicity huffed out as the four of them headed out and made their way back. Hopefully they would find that the worst of the battle had been resolved.


	6. Rip Current

Rip Current

Felicity was lost in her thoughts as they took their time navigating their way back to the rest of their team. She listened as Diggle and Lyla murmured sweet nothings back and forth, each one trying to reassure the other that everything was alright. They teased each other lightly, nudging away the pain and anxiety that they had just experienced. It was sweet, and their banter reminded Felicity of the way that she and Oliver would communicate using words that on the surface were innocent, but meant so much more. Like when he said, "You know I don't dance," he really meant, "I would only ever dance with you." Earlier she told him for the first time that she loved him. She liked to believe that he already knew that, especially when she said things like, "as long as you're in my life I am." Now that things seemed to be returning to the way they were during the "summer of sexual tension," as Roy liked to refer to it, maybe they could start backing up all those veiled words with blatant acts of love.

The heat of the day was finally seeping its way in through the previously drafty corridors of the compound. With Lyla's added weight, Felicity was starting to regret the extra layer provided by Roy's shirt.

"So, when we get the hell out of here and get back to Starling City, how about we sit at our favorite booth, at our favorite little hole in the wall, under the God-given ceiling fans and have a Big Belly milkshake?" Felicity breathed out, her disdain for the heat and physical exertion apparent in the desperate tone of her voice.

"That sounds amazing, but I'm not sure if I'll be heading back right away." Laurel said a bit regretfully.

"What are you talking about?" Felicity questioned, clearly confused.

"I've just been thinking about the last time I tried to patch things up with my father. He rejected me pretty strongly. All I've been thinking about is getting back home and making things right with him, but what if it's too late? Next to Sarah's first "death," I've never seen him this heartbroken. I'm starting to think I should just stay here and pick up my training with Nyssa, assuming that this all ends well."

"Oh Laurel, your father will forgive you, in time. Trust me, a parent's love knows no bounds. Before Lyla and I had baby Sarah, I didn't know that kind of love existed. Up until the point you actually have a child, the world has already told you in a million different ways how strong and overwhelming a parent's love can be, and you think you know what to expect. Let me tell you, it is nothing that you can anticipate. Parental love is tied to every breath you take, every thought you have, every dream you dream, and every hope you have for your child. And then to lose one of those ties, for a second time, and to have your other child hide it from you, well, I can only assume that your father is in a world of pain and anger. I'm not trying to tell you this to make you feel more guilty, Laurel, but to understand that just as that kind of love can fuel the most intense amounts of anger and disappointment, the pendulum can swing back and provide the most generous and free flowing forgiveness."

With the slightest sniff, Laurel cleared her throat, allowing Diggle's words to wash over her. She felt like scum, but he had given her the slightest bit of hope.

"Thank you, Dig. Sarah's lucky to have you as her father." Laurel said, her voice taking the soft tone it always did when she mentioned the beautiful girl, with a beautiful name, that was named for another beautiful girl.

The group continued to walk, but remained silent, the sounds of fighting starting to make their way to their ears. As they returned to the large room where their journey began, it was hard to look at the mixture of incapacitated assassins strewn across the room. Some were just taken out by acquiring broken limbs or deep lacerations, but it was obvious that many of them had been mortally wounded. Felicity looked on in desperation, but seeing the cringes and painful expressions on her teammates' faces, she knew she wasn't alone in hating what had to be done to save their city. The group stayed on the edges of the room, watching the four way fight between Ra's, Nyssa, Oliver, and Roy, with rapt attention. It was astonishing to see one man, take on so many at once.

When Roy saw the fight in Nyssa start to waiver, he knew he had to do something to help. Oliver was in the middle of a confrontation with Maseo, and the few squirmishes remaining didn't seem to be a threat to the ongoing fight between Nyssa and her father. He was nervous, and knew that he was seriously inept compared to the two most deadly assassins, but he couldn't let all of their hard work be for naught now. This Demon had been hanging over their heads and interrupting their lives for so long. His cold and calculating detachment from humanity had made him a scarier foe than Slade Wilson.

It seemed like he was nothing but a blimp on Ra's radar as Roy attempted his first swing of a sword into the fight. Ra's countered their simultaneous attacks with ease, making Roy's confidence waiver. Even with his added help, Nyssa still wasn't landing any hits. Out of the corner of his eye, Roy saw movement, a figure heading towards them. He tensed, preparing himself to go on the defense, but before he had a chance, he recognized the figure to be Oliver. Seeing him, Roy allowed himself a wave of hope, realizing once again that he hadn't been abandoned.

Oliver could see that they weren't making any headway and he only hoped that he could tip the scales. He lunged himself into the battle, and was instantly rewarded with his sword making contact with Ra's waist. The cut was shallow, and didn't seem to faze Ra's other than further pissing him off. With renewed fury and swift movements, one after another, Ra's was still able to land blows to all three of them. They weren't life threatening, but they did nothing to lift their morale.

Oliver blocked out his self-doubt and pushed down memories of his fall from the snowy cliff in December. He allowed himself to think of his loved ones and all of the dreams he wasn't ready to give up on. He wanted to see baby Sarah's first steps, or at least be able to see the joy on Dig's face as he showed him pictures of it. He begrudgingly wants to see Thea allow herself to be loved by Roy, because that boy has a heart of gold, and they deserve each other. He desperately wants to see Laurel smile again, a real smile that isn't tarnished by the weight of guilt and grief.

And Felicity, he could write a book about all of the hopes and dreams he had pushed down and out of his mind since he saw her standing over Lyla and baby Sarah the night the newest Diggle was born, the same night that had removed Sarah Lance from their world. He imagined nervously asking Felicity on a second first date, and following it up with a second, third, and fourth date, continuing on until they could no longer keep count, before he would finally get up the nerve and just ask her to marry him.

He allowed himself to be Oliver Queen, to be damaged but not broken, to be loved and return it, and to finally embrace the humanity he thought he had slowly scraped away since he left on the Queen's Gambit.

He fought back hard, each swing of his sword that much more powerful than the last. Nyssa's fortitude seemed to be waning, and Oliver wondered if she was truly fighting with all she had. Maybe killing her father wasn't as easy as she had anticipated. With each blow that knocked Roy back, he never gave up. He would immediately pull himself back together and jump right back into the fray. Oliver had never been more proud.

With a stroke of luck Oliver didn't think was possible, Nyssa landed a blow to her father's gut, twisting as the long, sharp piece of medal embedded itself further, pushing all the way through to the other side. Ra's' step faltered and he dropped the sword in his left hand, letting it clatter to the ground in front of Nyssa's feet.

"You've done well children." Ra's all but chuckled out as he staggered back a few steps.

"One of you will be following me to the afterlife though."

Before Oliver could even react to his cruel words, Ra's embedded his second sword through Roy's chest with so much ease, he wondered if Ra's hadn't been toying with them, allowing Nyssa to land a mortal blow on purpose to lower their defenses.

Time slowed, and Roy crumpled to the ground, a whispered "I'm sorry," leaving his lips as his heart beat its last beat, and he exhaled his last breath.

Oliver was all but kneeling as he heard the screams of his teammates, anguish washing over him. A second later an inhumane roar tore out of his mouth as he propelled himself up, his sword in front of him.

One powerful upwards thrust and Oliver plunged his sword through Ra's, cutting through the muscles and organs of his abdomen, and finally severing his spinal cord. In an instant Ra's fell, taking the two swords that were embedded in him like a pin cushion.

Oliver found himself immediately hunched over Roy's body, cradling his head and whispering apologies. He heard his teammates running up to them, calling out Roy's name, unaware that the boy with a heart of gold had already passed. Laurel landed on his right side, grabbing Roy's limp hand and holding it to her face as she let herself cry.

He saw Felicity settle on her knees above Roy's head. He looked up into her eyes filled with so much sadness, and he wanted to speak words that would lighten the pain he saw on her face, but all he could manage to summon was the same "I'm sorry's" that he had been speaking in a mantra since he had kneeled next to the boy.

With the barest shake of her head, Felicity whispered, "No."

Slowly she bent down and placed a kiss on Roy's forehead, letting her fingers tangle with his as they both brushed through the hair on his temples. Lifting her head, she pulled back one hand, bringing it to softly smooth across his forehead and further down to close his eyelids. She sat back a bit, and directed his hands to lower Roy's head to the ground. He let her pull his hands from his head, and she moved herself closer to his body, sitting up higher on her knees in the process.

In one swift movement, she roughly pulled his head to her chest, as his hand dropped to his sides. Her hands and arms wrapped tightly around his head and back. He felt paralyzed and then he immediately felt the urge to pull back, to run away, and he tried to.

"No!" Felicity cried out, pulling him that much tighter to her embrace. "No." She repeated calmly and firmly this time.

Like an answered prayer, he allowed himself to crumble in her arms, and unlike last year when Sarah died, he finally sought solace in her, and he wept.


	7. Keep Your Eye on the Shore

Keep Your Eye on the Shore

Oliver felt himself slump into Felicity's embrace, and it was like a thousand walls shattered around him and his heart. Between ragged breaths, more and more tears came from a never ending fountain of grief. Three years ago he rejoined civilization and the land of the living, and during that time he had been a shell of a man walking amongst the living. He made himself a symbol, a weapon. The Hood, the Vigilante, the Arrow, they weren't, aren't, self-serving. They weren't allowed grief and mourning, or joy and elation. He meticulously crafted this hard exterior to fulfill a mission, a crusade. Now, finally, none of that mattered. Oliver Queen, the man, was still alive and taking hits under that hard exterior. With each year, each death, the shell fought back. The Arrow ran to Lian Yu after Tommy's death. The Arrow was ready to sacrifice his own life after his mother was murdered in front of him. The Arrow flung himself into the search for Sarah's murderer after her death. And with Roy's last breath, all the fight left the Arrow, and Oliver Queen emerged.

His cries bounced off of the far reaching walls of Nanda Parbat. Felicity continued to hold him and rock him, despite the ever growing pain and numbness in her legs. She knew that he was finally, _finally, _allowing himself to grieve. It was everything that had been building since Sarah's death. Malcom's duplicity and betrayal, Thea losing parts of her soul, the city losing faith in him, pushing Felicity away, it all reached a boiling point and Roy's death pushed him over the edge.

Oliver felt an additional hand on his back, then two strong arms wrapped around him and Felicity. Oliver knew it was Diggle, but when he looked up he was shocked to see the tears streaming down the former soldier's face. Laurel and Lyla joined the huddle around Roy, each one adding a hand to his arm or shoulder. He was surrounded by his team, his family, and it was suffocating. He didn't push away this time though. He embraced the support his family was offering, he embraced their love, and he embraced the grief.

Nyssa, who was weak from the fight, walked up to the small group. She was quiet and reserved, but there was a levity to her countenance that wasn't there before. As she finally felt the weight of her father's oppression evaporate, she looked towards the future.

With one sentence, she pulled all of the eyes of team arrow on herself.

"There is a way to save Roy Harper's life."

Felicity was the first to recover her senses. "How? He's already dead. There is no life to save?" Felicity all but yelled out, angry that Nyssa would even suggest something so unrealistic.

"Perhaps I should have said _bring him back to life_." Nyssa answered.

"The pit." Oliver whispered, as if saying it out loud would allow someone to jerk it away from existence.

"What's the pit?" Laurel asked Nyssa.

"It's an ancient pool of water that contains restorative properties. My father bathed in it for centuries. It is what has allowed him to live and rule for so long."

"That's…that's impossible." Diggle said incredulously.

"It's very possible, Mr. Diggle, and I can prove it to you by submerging Mr. Harper's body in the restorative waters of the pit." Nyssa replied assertively.

"What are we waiting for?" Laurel asked breathily as she brushed away the remaining tears and moved to stand next to Nyssa.

"There is the chance that the pit could have negative side effects. How harmful these side effects are, I do not know. My father had built up a resistance to its mystical properties a long time ago. I never witnessed first-hand the side effects, I've only heard stories, all in varying degrees and harshness. The only thing I know for certain is that the effects wear off eventually." Nyssa informed the group.

"Okay, what do we need to do?" Oliver asked, his voice raw from crying.

"Are you sure about this, Oliver? What about the consequences of this. Even if it brings him back, should we tempt fate? The god fearing man in me isn't sure we should stand in the way of the natural order of things." Diggle voiced, wary of the way he might be interpreted.

"So you think we should just let him stay dead when there's a very good chance he could come back to us? Isn't it worth it?" Oliver replied desperately.

"You have to ask yourself, Oliver, is it worth his _soul?" _Diggle asked heavily.

"I don't know, John. All I know is that we have seen some crazy things in the past three years. Mirakuru, Barry, meta-humans…I don't want to lose anybody else. For _once_, I want to be selfish, consequences be damned." Oliver choked out.

"Okay. Let's do it." Felicity finally spoke up.

Oliver untangled himself from Felicity and stood, looking at Nyssa.

"Remove his weapons. Then follow me." Nyssa responded as she turned and made her way to the intricate screen towards the back of the room.

Oliver removed Roy's quiver and various knives stowed on his body. The weight of his body was welcome, even though the dead weight was painful, physically and emotionally. Oliver carried him towards to steam billowing over the screen and heard the others follow him.

Reaching the edge of the pit, Oliver kneeled and placed Roy's body next to it. "You need to remove his clothing. Then you can lower his body into the water." Nyssa directed Oliver.

The others kept their distance and were patient. Oliver took his time though removing Roy's clothes, scared of possibly hurting him further. When he was done he looked up to Nyssa, who nodded at him to proceed. He gently lowered Roy's body into the steaming water, but held off on letting his head slip under the surface.

"He must be fully submerged for the properties to restore his body. It will not harm him." Nyssa reassured.

Saying a silent prayer, Oliver pulled his hand away, and watched as Roy's body sunk further into the pit.

"How long?" Oliver asked as he settled himself at the edge of the pit and stared. The rest of the group joined him, all taking spots around the steaming waters. Felicity sat next to Oliver and leaned her head on his shoulder and held the hand that was still damp from the pit. He was so grateful for her presence.

"It is unknown. It could be minutes, or it could be hours. He will resurface on his own though."

So team arrow waited, and for the first few minutes they were quiet, none of them sure of what to say.

Everyone's head jerked up as they heard Felicity snort and let out a soft chuckle.

"Remember that time you shot him with an Arrow?" Felicity asked Oliver with a wistful smile on her face as she circled her thumb across the back of his hand.

"Yea…Thea was furious at me, well, at the Arrow. He still came back though."

"When we all thought you were dead, he looked out for me. I would have been dead ten times over if it wasn't for him." Laurel supplied with an uncommon softness to her voice.

"That kid was a class act." Diggle added with a slight shake of his head.

"No. He is. He is a class act." Oliver quietly asserted.

The small family continued to tell stories, some funny, some sad, about Roy. It carried the same weight as a wake, and perhaps that's what it was. None of them were sure they believed that he could actually come back, and if he did, would he even be the Roy they knew? It was unclear how long they sat there, but the storytelling had eventually stopped and silence had taken its place. Their thoughts were finally interrupted when splashing was heard coming from the pit.

Roy's hands flailed above him as his head finally broke the surface of the water. He gasped and coughed, while he continued to flail, trying to find purchase. Nyssa rushed over with a dark robe and instructed Oliver to pull him out. Wrapping him in the robe, Roy continued to cough, but the flailing stopped as he was laid on the cold rock floor.

His eyes flared to life as he took in one large gasp of air. Then he immediately started to seize. Diggle and Felicity rushed over to help hold down Roy's limbs as he jerked around. The seizure didn't last long, but when it stopped, Roy didn't open his eyes, and he didn't move.

Oliver frantically searched for a pulse. Upon finding one he relaxed and sat back on his haunches.

"It should be safe for you to travel with is body. He will be in a coma-like stasis for a period of time. I can make arrangements for horses to take you back to your plane." Nyssa informed them.

"But it worked?" Felicity asked in awe.

"Yes. As far as I can tell." Nyssa turned to leave the group and confer with the remaining assassins that were loyal to her. "Laurel, you are more than welcome to stay, I could always use help re-organizing the League."

"I think I should go home for now, but I'll return once all the legal issues are settled in Starling, and hopefully after I make amends with my father." Laurel replied.

"As you wish. You can carry Mr. Harper's body out front. Horses and an escort will be waiting for you."

"Thank you, Nyssa." Oliver said, slightly bowing his head to her.

"Thank you, Mr. Queen." With that she left the group to find their way out.

A wave of relief washed through everyone as they all realized that their time here was finally over. Ra's was no longer hanging over their heads, and the comforts and solace of home were calling them.

Without another word the group made their way out of the compound, Oliver serving as their guide as he carried Roy. Once outside, they spotted their horses, and in pairs they mounted them. Diggle had to assist Lyla up, but she was able to hold herself up once she took hold of the saddle. With help from the assassin escort, Oliver hoisted Roy onto the horse, across the saddle in front of him.

Felicity and Laurel stared at the remaining horse, neither one sure of who should sit in front. Felicity settled the silent debate fairly quickly.

"Uh, yea. You should definitely take the reins. I've never ridden a horse in my life, and quite frankly, they terrify me. Huh, _take the reins_. So that's where that saying came from." Felicity rambled off as Laurel just chuckled and pulled herself up onto the Saddle. Gripping the saddle horn with one hand, Laurel leaned down and offered her other hand to Felicity. Taking the offered hand, Felicity pulled herself up behind Laurel, instinctually wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.

"Well aren't you friendly?" Laurel sassed.

"Only in life and death situations, like swinging from an elevator shaft, or jumping out of an airplane, or swinging out of high rise office building, or zip lining out of a high rise office building…" Felicity trailed off sheepishly.

"Felicity Smoak, lady of adventure." Laurel stated in a posh voice.

"No, No, you've got it wrong. It's Felicity Smoak, bitch with Wi-Fi." Diggle boasted proudly as the group made their way back to the small village where their plane was waiting for them, where _life_ was waiting for them.


	8. The Receding Tide

AN: We're coming to close here guys. This is the second to last chapter. I hope you've enjoyed the ride. –Sailor Slayer

The Receding Tide

A soft humming noise emitted from the plane's engine, almost dulling out the noise of Diggle's snores. Oliver looked around the interior of the jet, at peace knowing that his loved ones were resting in the dull glow of the cabin's dim lighting. Diggle and Lyla took up one bench seat towards the back of the plane. Lyla was splayed across Diggle's lap, using it as a pillow while he slept up right, head knocked back, with his mouth hanging open. It was comical.

On the opposite bench seat they had Roy laid out flat on his back, wrapped in his robe and blankets. Oliver watched as his chest rose and fell, signifying that he had indeed come back to life. He couldn't even bother to wrap his brain around that. Oliver was just grateful to have his sidekick back. He couldn't fathom what would've happened to Thea if they hadn't been able to revive him. She would have finally gone off the deep end, and Oliver would have lost two loved ones. Telling her what happened wasn't going to be easy though, but she needed to know. She needed to be able to watch out for any side effects. He hoped the two of them could work things out. He was under the impression that they had made some head way before the team left for Nanda Parbat, but he knew his sister was playing it safe.

Oliver's eyes continued to wander, and he found Laurel with her eyes closed and head leaning against the cool glass of the airplane window. He could tell that she wasn't asleep, seeing her fingers drum to the beat of whatever song she was listening to through her head phones. She seemed peaceful. That is all he could ever hope for her, finding peace that is.

Oliver gazed at the woman in front him. They were seated in the same positions as their trip in to Nanda Parbat, except right now, Felicity was slumped over the table, her head and arm resting on top of her laptop. She had fruitlessly tried to do some work from her laptop since her tablet had been obliterated during the take down. Her glasses were askew and her lips were slightly parted, the tiniest bit of drool pooling under her face. It was adorable. She was adorable.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he saw Felicity's hand twitch on the table. Then her face started to contort into a grimace, her eyebrows knitting together. He could only assume that she was having a nightmare. He watched unsure of what to do as he saw her head jerk and heard soft, unintelligible mumbles came out of her mouth. Slowly, her slurs started to become clearer.

"No. No. Not the kangaroos. Don't put me in the pouch…Roy, get out of the pouch! Oliver! Don't pet the joey, the mama will eat you." She continued on rambling, even in her sleep.

Yes. Adorable was the right word.

He decided to try and comfort her, despite how hilarious the scene before him was. He reached out to grasp her hand, letting his thumb rub soothing circles across the top of it. The grimace on her face started to ease off as she mumbled out an almost incoherent "Ol'ver." His heart swelled at the sound.

Her hand was warm and comforting, reminding him that she was alive and well. He was a lucky man, just having her in his life.

Lucky. That's something he hadn't thought in regards to himself in almost eight years. She was truly repairing all of the pieces of his soul.

His chest tightened as he thought back to her confession in the middle of the lion's den. She had been so brave, pouring her heart out in front of everyone. Later she held him in her arms as he fell apart, thinking that he had lost another person that was precious to his life. She was everything he wanted, and everything he never knew he needed.

The rest of the flight, Oliver allowed himself to dream, to fantasize, about finally doing things different, about embracing Oliver Queen.

Many hours later, the group made their way back in to Starling City. The first place they had gone to was Malcolm's property. It had been an emotional reunion on more than one account. Baby Sarah had cooed and giggle upon seeing both her parents. Her tiny face scrunched up in confusion as she saw the tears on her parent's faces, not understanding that they were tears of joy and relief. It was a beautiful sight.

To everyone's surprise, Quentin nearly tackled Laurel to the grind as he tightly embraced her. She broke down in tears as her father rubbed her back soothingly. She was mumbling incoherent apologies, asking for his forgiveness. He already had. Seeing her come through the door, alive, reminding him that he still had one beautiful daughter left to love, he finally let go of his anger.

Diggle and Lyla collected baby Sarah's things and made to leave, but not before Felicity pinched the chubby cheeks of Sarah, just as she'd promised.

Quentin and Laurel briefed them on the press conference they were going to hold and how they made plans to repair the Arrow's image.

Thea sat quietly, watching over Roy's body, her hand on his chest so she could feel him breathing. Her expression was clouded in anxiety and fear, imaging what her life had almost become if he had stayed dead. Oliver did his best to comfort her, but all she wanted was help getting him back to her loft, where she would keep a watchful eye on him and care for him.

After helping Thea get Roy into the loft, he warned her and tried to convince her to let him stay. She refused, assuring him that if something did go wrong, she had an assassin's training to back her up. He was only a speed dial away. She was more concerned about seeing Oliver get Felicity home, hopefully deciding to stay with her in the process.

That's how Oliver found himself in Felicity's living room, looking around at her nick knacks and the unique décor that exuded Felicity's personality. She was taking a hot shower, in order to scrub the "ick" off her she said. He had already taken a quick one at the loft, no longer able to bare the stench from the last two days. His eyes landed on the Errol Flynn poster and he chuckled to himself. Had she gotten that before or after the Hood had made his appearance in Starling City?

"Actually, I got that after the Hood's appearance, even though you were a hot mess back then. But I got it before I knew that Oliver Queen was the man behind the mask." Felicity said with a smile on her face as she made her way into the living room, toweling her damp hair.

"I'm glad I made an impression." Oliver replied with a cocky smirk.

"Be careful. You're preening like a peacock." Felicity replied with a wide smile.

Oliver looked down as he started rubbing his thumb and forefinger together.

"Is it working?" he asked quietly.

As he lifted his head to gauge her reaction, he was startled to find that she had crossed the room and was now standing directly in front him.

"What do you think?" she asked slowly as she stared at him, shrugging her shoulder.

Oliver's breath caught as he took in the sight of her. Wet, tangled hair fell over her shoulders leading to the softest looking thin cotton robe that barely reached mid-thigh. He could see a white camisole peeking out from under the robe, drawing his eyes to her cleavage. He gulped for air as he watched her chest rise and fall, seeing her nipples harden under the thin layers of clothing. He jerked his gaze back up to her face, finding her chewing on her bottom lip.

He lifted a hand to her shoulder and let is lightly graze down her arm, ending at her hand where he held it between his rough fingers. Clearing his throat of the intense situation, he finally responded to her heated question.

"I think so, or well at least I hope. I'm not always good with interpreting signals and all, you know. I do have a tendency of coming…" His ramble was cut off by her warm lips finding his.

She reached up on her toes and pulled his head down further to gain better access as he gave in to the kiss.

It was everything that he had been missing since that night in the hospital, but this was so much sweeter. There was no longer a stale taste of regret and heartache this time. It was a promise, full of love and anticipation for what was to come. It tasted like the beginning.

The kiss dragged on longer than what seemed possible. Somehow his hand had found her lower back while the other one tangled in her wet hair to cup the back of her head. He could feel her fingers running up and down his stomach and chest, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

With a gasp she pulled back, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

"Whoah. What was that?" He asked, stepping back a few inches to give them some breathing room.

"I dunno, about eight months of built up tension?" She ask playfully.

"That was pretty intense." He nodded his head in agreement with her assessment.

"Imagine what the sex will be like." She blurted out before she could stop herself. She pinched her eyes eyelids together and brought her hand to her forehead, ducking her head.

He wasn't surprised by her lack of verbal filter anymore, but he was surprised to find himself wanting to skip the talking and decision making, and go straight to the sex, because yes, he imagined all the time what it would be like. He held off though, on making another move that would just lead them straight to the bedroom. They needed to have a talk first, and they were both exhausted.

"I have no doubt it will be mind-blowing, Felicity." He assured her, looking into her eyes.

"But…It sounds like there's a 'but' coming." She said hesitantly.

"Yea…I just think…" He started to say but was cut off by an instantly irate Felicity.

"Oh hell no, Oliver Queen. You better not be pulling away again. This better not be another knock off speech of 'because of the life that I lead' bullshit." She finished in a huff, hands firmly planted on her hips, a tiny little spitfire.

"No, no. I don't want you to think that. I'm never pulling away again. I guess that's kind of the point. We need to talk about things. You need to have a clear understanding of where I'm at. And we both desperately need some sleep." He said, trying to calm her.

"Okay…I can deal with that, but what do we do now? Are you going back to the loft?" She asked, a twinge of disappointment in her voice.

"Well, how would you feel about a sleepover?" He asked kind of sheepishly.

She took his hand in his own and started to pull him down the hallway to her bedroom. Looking back at him, she gave him a happy smile.

"I would like that."


	9. After the Storm (the Heat is Stifling)

AN: Hello everybody. This is the final chapter of Caught in the Eye. Be forewarned it contains adult content. I leave off with a bit of a cliffhanger, but I currently have no plans on picking the story back up. I'll let the reader imagine how things turn out. Thank you all for following me along on this maiden voyage. I'm pleased with my first writing experience, and really appreciate the positive feedback I've gotten. You can look forward to more oneshots and drabbles as I exercise my writing abilities.

Thank you everybody, and happy reading!

-Sailor Slayer

**After the Storm (the Heat is Stifling)**

Felicity led Oliver to her bedroom, pulling him behind her by his hand. Internally she was freaking out. She was under no allusions that they were going to do anything more than sleep, but regardless, she was still nervous about having Oliver in her room for the first time.

After depositing him in the middle of her room, she made her way to the lamp on her bedside table. It wasn't quite dark yet, but the sun would be falling below the horizon soon. She looked back to see Oliver just standing there, looking around her room like he was taking in a special exhibit at the Smithsonian.

Suddenly Felicity was self-conscious of the clothes she had strewn about, the junk cluttering her dresser, and most importantly, her forest green comforter that she got _after_ finding out Oliver was the Arrow. Maybe Oliver wouldn't read too much in to it.

"Nice comforter." He said with the most shit eating smirk she'd ever seen. She rolled her eyes and started removing the mountain of pillows from the bed in order to turn down the sheets.

"Don't flatter yourself. It's just a color." She said in a huff.

"Uh huh…" He said with a small nod, letting the subject go.

"Are you gonna stand there or are you gonna get in my bed?" She asked pointedly. She didn't even bother back-stepping from that awkwardness.

"Yea, um, may I?" He asked, gesturing to the ensuite bathroom.

"Of course." She said, watching him already making his way to the bathroom.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Felicity let out a nervous sigh. She climbed into bed and tried to mentally stave off having a panic attack. Oliver Queen was about to be in her bed. Cue the silly, girly antics. She pinched her cheeks in an effort to liven up her exhausted features. With shaky hands she combed through the drying tangles of hair, trying to create some since of order with them. Then she jerked her side table drawer open, her eyes briefly landing on the condoms she kept there. She passed them over to grab some cherry flavored chap stick. It wasn't lip gloss or some pretty shade of pink lipstick that she normally would wear, but it would have to do.

As the bathroom door opened, she hurriedly put the Chap Stick back in the drawer, slamming it shut.

"Woah…" Felicity said before her brain could catch up with her mouth. Oliver was standing at the foot her bed in nothing but boxers, an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think to pack any sweats or…" Felicity quickly cut him off before this could get anymore awkward.

"It's fine. I've seen you shirtless right? So what if you're about to be shirtless in my bed for the first time with nothing between us stopping me from reaching out and touching your…shit. Three…two…one."

Felicity closed her eyes, taking a breath as she shook her head. Composing herself, she continued.

"C'mon. Just…" She trailed off, patting the empty side of the bed.

Oliver obliged and climbed in under the sheet. Felicity promptly slumped down, sliding down so she could bury herself under the covers in self-preservation. Oliver followed suit, but only pulled the blanket up to his chest, where as he could only see Felicity's face sticking out above the dark green comforter.

"Hi." He said, once their faces were level and he could look into her eyes.

"Hi." She said back meekly. "So, let's hear all this talking you wanna do. It was something to do with where you're at right now, with the feelings, and…" She trailed off, her hand gesturing under the blanket.

"Yes. Why don't I make it short and sweet since we both need to get some sleep? Then you can do the same." He continued as he saw her bob her head up in down.

"I love you, Felicity, but this isn't news to you. What you need to know is that I'm ready to act on that love. I'm ready to embrace it. I'm not saying it in a ruse this time or as some form of goodbye. It's a hello now. I want it to mean late nights after arrow work, getting takeout and cuddling on your couch. It means lazy Sundays sleeping in and going out for brunch with our friends while we hold hands across the table. It means planning for a future that I'm ready to live for instead of waiting around for my time to die. Do you understand?" He asked, his eyes earnest and head tilted just like that first 'I love you' in the mansion.

Felicity blinked away a few tears, nodding her head vigorously.

"Then I love you back, the same exact way, Oliver" She reassured him, leaning over to kiss him as more and more tears fell down her cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying so much. This was a happy moment and she was a blubbering idiot.

"It's okay. Shhh." Oliver comforted her, running his hand over her head and down her back.

"We're so exhausted and so much has happened recently, especially in the past forty-eight hours. Your body is just letting go of it all."

"Thank you." Felicity said, staring at his blurry face through tears.

He pulled her head in under his chin, guiding her to snuggle in to his nook. He pressed soft kisses to her hair and forehead as he continued to listen to her cry.

"Thank you, Felicity. For holding me and letting me break down in your arms earlier. I'll always be here to do the same for you."

As Felicity's tears subsided, a deep fatigue settled in her bones. Before she knew it she was drifting off to sleep as she mumbled 'I love you's' to Oliver.

Oliver smiled to himself, hearing her mumbles and feeling her breathing level out into steady rhythm. Letting himself relax, he followed her into dreamland.

* * *

Oliver's eyes drifted open slowly as a particularly strong breeze blew in from the open window, sheer curtains billowing in its wake.

His eyes adjusted to the soft glow of Felicity's lamp, and he looked down to see the soft glow bouncing off of her blonde hair, the same hair that was sticking out in a million direction all across his chest and arms. He loved it.

Moving as gently as he could, he slowly started to gather her hair, moving it back behind her head so he could see her face. There were dried tear tracks on her face, but she looked beautiful. He just stared as soft puffs of air left her parted lips. He was startled when he saw her pink tongue dart out to wet her lips before she cleared her throat.

"You're staring." She said matter-of-factly.

"And? I get to stare now. It's a rule. I'm sure of it." He said assuredly.

Felicity finally opened up her sleepy blues to look at him. Her hand reached out, hesitantly at first, but as it started to graze across is his chest, her strokes became more confident. She met him half way for a light kiss, pulling away sooner than he hoped.

"Well then that must mean we finally get to have sex. That's a rule too, right?" She said, crashing her lips to his before he could even recover from what she said and form an intelligent response. This wasn't a chaste kiss this time. It was long and thorough, stretching the limits of their lung capacity. Nearing its end she let out a soft moan, grasping at his shoulder.

They finally broke apart, their breaths heavy as they stared at each other, only inches apart.

"Yes. Hell yes. That's definitely a rule now." Oliver said excitedly, his hand pushing her hip down into the mattress so that he could roll on top of her. His hands raked up the sides of her body, landing on either side of her face as he settled over her and kissed her with all the passion he had been holding back for years, but especially since the summer after Slade's attack.

She whimpered into the kiss and rolled her hips up to meet his, feeling his already hardening member. She parted her legs and let him sink down in to her, reveling the feeling of their bodies so close for the first time, and that was with a few articles of clothing on still.

One of Oliver's hands left her face to search out the tie to her robe, loosening it so he could slowly push one sleeve down her shoulder. Pulling his lips from her mouth he trailed kisses down her throat to her collar bone, then followed the newly exposed skin of her shoulder and arm.

"Oh God, _finally_." Felicity said in exasperation as her hands made paths across his side and around his back.

When Oliver was done kissing his way down her arm, he did the same to the other.

"Your skin is so soft." He murmured practically purring as he nuzzled and licked the inside of her wrist, exciting her in a way she never knew possible.

Felicity let out a breathy sigh as he made his way back up that arm, finding home in the junction of her neck and shoulder. As he sucked and licked, a new wave of intense desire spiked through her. Felicity decided to be a bit more pro-active as she worked the waist band of his boxers down his hips and over his ass that she couldn't help but squeeze in the process. He moaned in appreciation as she pulled her legs up, using her feet to push his boxers the rest of the way down his legs so he could kick them off.

His hard length was unmistakable now as he pressed in to her still clothed center, eliciting a loud moan from both of them.

Their lips met again in a desperate kiss, fueled by their dry humping. Felicity parted her lips, allowing him access which he took greedily. His tongue thrust into her mouth in time with the jerk of his hips. Felicity's head was spinning with all of the new sensations, compounded when he reach down to pinch her nipple over her white camisole.

She jerked her mouth away from the kiss, yelping out in surprise as he massaged her tender breast. Her chest heaved as she took in gulps of air, trying to rein in her emotions, but it suddenly felt like Oliver was everywhere, all at once. His mouth was leaving hickeys on her chest as he fondled her breast, his other hand suspending her wrist above her head as he ground his hips against hers.

And then she flew apart, a wild and errant orgasm claiming her body before she even had time to know it was building. She let out startled cries as her thighs tightened around Oliver's hips, slowing his motions.

"Did you just…?" He trailed off, grinning wildly down at her.

"Um…yea. _That's_ never happened before." She said shyly, averting her gaze from his face.

Grabbing her chin and directing her gaze back to his, he grinned widely.

"I loved it." He said enthusiastically. "How about we make that happen again, maybe with fewer clothes this time." He said with devilish smile as he moved his hands down to hook in her pajama shorts.

"Oh God." She said, gulping at the prospect. He hadn't even been inside her yet. How was she supposed to handle them actually connecting skin on skin?

Oliver sat up, a stupid grin on his face as he delicately pulled her shorts down her legs, delighted to see she wasn't wearing underwear.

"Ms. Smoak, if I didn't know any better, you made plans to seduce me." He admonished.

Felicity slowly sat up, meeting his eyes.

"Maybe I did." She said as she proceeded to slowly peel her camisole up and over her curves, tossing it aside as her gaze settled back on his now intense stare.

Oliver breathed in sharply as he took in her naked form for the first time. A million emotions bubbled up in his chest, but the only one he could identify was astonishment.

He couldn't believe that they were finally here, and that someone as beautiful on the inside as out like Felicity was opening herself up to him, allowing herself to be vulnerable.

"You're so beautiful, Felicity. I hope you know that." He said sincerely.

"When you look at me like that, I do." She said, glowing under his appreciative gaze.

Oliver tilted forward and tentively reached out to brush a knuckle over her nipple. She shuddered in response, her head tilting back slightly.

She surprised him by lightly grasping his member, making a few exploratory strokes.

"It's going to feel really good having you inside me." She said with a delirious giggle.

He choked out a laugh, remembering their first field mission together. He softly kissed her as his hand continued to pull and tweak at her breast, his other hand making its way down to cup her mound, his fingers brushing over her entrance. They stroked each other, and Felicity's need starting building back up, causing her hips to swirl against his hand.

Taking that as a sign of encouragement, Oliver slipped one long finger into her, resulting her grip she had on him to tighten. He groaned out, pushing out to meet her strokes. Before he could lose himself to her touch, her whimpers broke him out of his daze.

He curled his finger in her one last time, feeling her grind against his palm. He pulled his hand from her now soaking heat, bringing his wet finger to his lips, cleaning it off as she stared at him, her eyes going wild.

"Now, please. I want you now." She said pleadingly, dropping his cock to grip his shoulders.

"Whatever you want, love" He said as his arms leaned down to grip her thighs, hoisting her up onto his waist. Her legs wrapped him automatically, as he brushed up against her entrance.

"Hold on to me tightly." He said with a soft smile as he looked up at her, feeling her hair brush across his cheek and over his chest.

She nodded vigorously as her arms linked around his neck, drawing him close. He heard her murmur something about non-platonic circumstances as he finally slid in to her, her wet warmth gripping him tightly.

She settled over him, getting comfortable, as Oliver realized he had finally found a home, after eight years of being lost.

"You're my home too." She said, startling him when he realized he had said that out loud.

"That makes me so happy, Felicity."

"Good, because you deserve happiness." She said cupping his face.

Tears stung his eyes, but he held her gaze through the blurriness.

"You _are _my happiness, you are my _fe-li-ci-ty_." He said, drawing out the noun that was synonymous with her name.

They both blinked away tears as he started to move in her, making long slow strokes, stoking the fire.

His lips latched on to her neck as he rocked in to her, and beautiful sounds tumbled off of her lips. Her hands raked though his hair, holding him close to her chest as he continued to pump into her. He could feel her walls tightening as his movement became more frantic, less controlled. He was teetering on the edge and then she whispered in his ear.

"Come with baby, I'm so close."

He snapped, his hands gripping her tightly, pushing her down on him harder as he thrust up. Her head fell back in bliss, her eyes shut as he felt her lose control. Her mouth hung open in silence as her orgasm washed through her.

His eyes never left the erotic image she was making as he finally fell over the edge with her, with one last thrust. He stilled momentarily, feeling her walls clinching around him. Then he rocked slowly, drawing out the rest of their orgasms.

A giggle of happiness escaped her lips and it lightened his soul as he gently laid them back against the mattress, rolling them on to their sides. Their legs tangled and he regretfully pulled out of her.

"That was…." He trailed off, trying to find the right word.

"Hot. That was hot." She said enthusiastically as she scooted closer to his embrace.

"Okay, I was gonna go with amazing, but hot works too." He said, snaking his arm under her head to pillow it, while his other hand made lazy circles on her hip.

As their bodies cooled in the night air, Oliver pulled up the green comforter around their bodies, cocooning them in warmth.

They laid there as fatigue settled back in. They whispered "goodnights" and "I love you's" as sleep started to take hold of them again.

Just before he drifted off into unconsciousness, he heard Felicity's soft voice break through the haze.

"You're my felicity too."

More relaxed than he'd ever been, Oliver let the words hang in the air as he smiled softly.

That night they dreamed together.

* * *

Across town in the loft, Thea sat vigil over Roy's unconscious form. He was laid across the couch, and she had decided to sit on the floor in front him, distracting herself with whatever lame midnight programming was on the television.

As the hours ticked by, Thea started to lose the battle to stay awake, and before she knew it her head was tilted back against the couch cushion, and she was sleeping peacefully as the t.v. lights danced across her face.

Sometime during the early morning hours she jerked awake. She immediately jumped up to check on Roy, but was terrified to find the couch empty, his blankets the only things left.

She frantically searched the apartment, calling out his name in worry.

Unknown to her, a figured watched her movements through the large glass windows of the expensive loft. His head was tilted down, his face obscured by a red hood as he looked on. The man lifted his head, revealing green eyes and an evil curl to his smiling lips. The Red Hood had risen.


End file.
